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IG Report: DHS Ignored the Law & Lied to Congress on Family Separation Policy

Oct 2, 2018

Press Release

(WASHINGTON) – Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the following statement on the Department of Homeland Security Office of the Inspector General report on the Trump Administration’s implementation of its family separation and zero tolerance policies:

“The Inspector General’s findings in this report are damning for the Administration. The report confirms that the Administration outright misled Congress and the American people for months about its cruel family separation policy. Whether out of incompetence or lack of preparation, the Department of Homeland Security did not put in place the resources to protect the most vulnerable under its care.”

“We now know, contrary to what the Trump Administration has told us, that it blatantly broke the law and repeatedly kept children in the CBP custody – often in cages – for longer than the 72-hour limit. We also now know the Administration lied about keeping a central database to keep track of children that were under the care of DHS and HHS.”

“From these findings, and what we have seen the past six months along the border, I cannot come to any other conclusion that the Administration and its leadership simply do not care about the welfare of these children and their families. If Secretary Nielsen is going to remain Donald Trump’s puppet, continue to flout the law, lie to Congress, and ignore the plight of these children in the face of these findings, then she is truly unfit to lead the Department.”